Living room
Sofas and armchairs are universally agreed to be worth a bit of investment–you'll spend a lot of time on them, after all. "I would try not to skimp on your sofa," says Anna. "Like your mattress, this is an item that should last you a lifetime if you get it right. It can always be recovered if you move house and the fabric no longer suits its new environment."
Jessica agrees: "Far better to buy a good sofa and upholster it in an inexpensive fabric than to put a fabulous fabric on a cheap sofa which will look worse for wear within a few years. I love to use Kingcome or George Smith for hand built sofas and chairs that offer supreme comfort and quality that will last for a generation or more. Add a smart but inexpensive fabric such as a ticking stripe (Ian Mankin, or “Sutton” by Clarke and Clarke) or plain linen (Designers Guild or Notting Hill’s The Cloth Shop are good options)."
Anna recommends avoiding foam wrapped cushions and opting for ones with a 60%/40% mix of feather and down. George Smith, Howe London, Lorfords and Pinch (for more contemporary designs) all have handsome pieces and are beautifully hand crafted."
Efficient bookcases and media units can also be worth spending money on. "Splash out on well-designed joinery and furniture to fit awkward areas and maximise the use of space in the room," says Katie at K&H Design. “In London homes, where every square foot matters, designing joinery that will maximise this space will benefit the whole family.”
For Joshua Hale, who recently renovated his Oxfordshire cottage on a tight budget, good quality picture frames are well worth the investment. “Look for quality, handmade options that truly suit your prints or paintings. A well-chosen frame can significantly enhance even a modest piece, while a cheap frame can detract from a valuable artwork. For exceptional craftsmanship, I suggest looking at Geraint Davies in Somerset,” he advises.
MAY WE SUGGEST: Our pick of the best ready made curtains
Floor coverings can be an area where savings are possible, with inexpensive sisal flooring a favourite among interior designers. As Jessica explains, "we love to use a smart wool or silk carpet in living rooms but where the budget doesn’t permit that we’ll use an affordable sisal rug (we like Bubbleweave sisal from Alternative Flooring) to cover the floor area and perhaps add a much smaller patterned rug in the central seating area for a cosy, layered look."
Window dressing also doesn't need to cost the earth. "A pair of curtains can require a substantial amount of fabric, so costs can quickly escalate," says Anna. "There are some wonderful fabric suppliers who won’t break the bank, and offer clever and charming designs like Tinsmiths or The Cloth Shop (for linens and their own expanding range of designs). Haines Collection is a platform for the resale of fabric offcuts that would otherwise be headed for landfill. They sell fabric offcuts from the likes of Soane, Penny Morrison and Christopher Farr so worth keeping an eye on their ever-changing stock." Joshua also cites Tinsmiths as one of his go-tos for affordable fabrics, suggesting “using double-width fabric and railroading it (if your windows or doors are a standard height. By using the fabric's width for the drop, you can create beautiful, full-length curtains with less fabric, which can save considerably on both material and making costs.”
Katie recommends compromising with "inexpensive linens and nice trims. Where there are lots of windows which need metres and metres of fabric, choosing an inexpensive cotton or linen and then embellishing with a decorative trim keeps the windows looking bespoke and saves money for other eye level pieces in the room. "
When it comes to furniture, antique fairs can be a good way to keep the budget down. "Kempton and Ardingly Antiques are great for picking up inexpensive Georgian side tables, antique lighting, antique textiles and throws, and decorative objets," says Anna. "Go with a firm idea of what you’re looking for, the dimensions of furniture items to suit your room, a tape measure and pictures on your phone of the space. Ask about the provenance of the piece so you know its history before parting with your cash!"
MAY WE SUGGEST: Interior designers pick their favourite pieces from the high street
Kitchen
Worktops and hardware can make a huge difference to the look of a kitchen, and can be a more limited investment than units. "We use decent mid-range off-the-shelf cabinetry," says Jessica, "and then add flair with a smart countertop, beautiful lighting and special hardware which elevates the overall look. We recently selected some very smart lights from Hector Finch to elevate an otherwise inexpensive kitchen scheme."
Everyone agrees that a good kitchen floor is well worth the money. "Never skimp on the quality of a kitchen floor!" advises Katie. "A beautiful floor will harmonise and ground the overall scheme," says Anna. "If you're looking for a timber floor I would advise buying quality and sustainable boards. Solid Floor have an extensive range of elegant timber and parquet floors, and experienced fitters who understand the particularities of all floors."
Restoring the original floor of a building is also well worth putting some budget behind, suggests Anna. “For a recent project, we discovered the original oak flooring hidden beneath a tiled floor that had been glued directly on top. In situations like this, it’s well worth investing in ways to restore original floors properly and help preserve their longevity. These boards were in a particularly tired state and needed a lot careful repairs, sanding back to remove the dated honey tone, and re-staining in a deeper, nuttier brown. Once finished, they looked beautiful and suitably characterful! I think it’s so important to embrace and invest in a home’s original materials where possible, reviving them for the next generation”, she says.
You don't want to skimp entirely on kitchen cabinets, but mid-range ones can look just as good as their more expensive counterparts. "Many of our clients like the look of beautifully hand-built bespoke kitchens but don’t necessarily want to invest large sums in a house which isn’t a 'forever home'," says Jessica. “Plain English now have an off the shelf modular version of their designs called PE30 which would be a good way to achieve the Plain English look at a much lower price tag.”
Furniture, and dining tables specifically, can be an unexpectedly large drain on resources, unless you have a couple of tricks up your sleeve. "Sometimes our clients are lucky enough to have fallen or felled trees. Using this timber to make huge dining tables can be significantly more economical than starting with nothing", says Katie. It of course requires a fallen tree in order to do so, but if you are lucky enough to have one, don't let it go to waste. “It is devasting to see so many Ash trees succumb to Dieback,” she adds.
Katie recommends pantries as a great way to create maximum storage while saving money. "Rather than filling a room with expensive on show cabinetry, create a pantry which is desirable yet practical, the joinery can be made inexpensively as it’s not for show."
On the subject of pantries (and sculleries and utility rooms), Anna suggests opting for an inexpensive flooring, seeing as it is not a space you will either spend a lot of time in or host guests in. "Linoleum is a brilliantly budget friendly option for a utility or laundry room floor. It’s durable and robust and made with renewable ingredients making it a more environmentally friendly option. A red and cream chequer linoleum floor looks so cheerful!"
Stylish knobs and handles can also be affordable. "I like these nicely muted brass knobs from Chloe Alberry," adds Anna.
Bedroom
"We spend a third of our lives sleeping so a good mattress is a wise investment!" points out Anna. "We have our mattresses hand made for our clients using both traditional and modern methods. Ensemblier make bespoke mattresses using expert craftsmanship and all natural materials." Fabrics can also make all the difference in a bedroom. "I like to make a bedroom as comfortable and cosseting as possible," says Jessica. "Cosy soft carpet underfoot when you step out of bed on a morning, swathes of fabric for generous full curtains and pools of soft lighting are all elements of a really beautiful bedroom scheme. Spending more to have a really beautiful fabric here is definitely worthwhile, even if you only use a couple of meters of it for a headboard."
Panelling and paint can make all the difference to the look of a bedroom, and don't have to cost the earth. "We spent very little on the panelling in a teenage girls bedroom," says Katie. "We went right up to the ceiling to create drama which was inexpensive as the panelling was made out of MDF. Otherwise, painting the top half of the wall one colour and the bottom another is a very cheap way to create a very cool but inexpensive feature."
Clothes storage is an easy place to save, unless you decide to splash out on bespoke joinery. "I am sceptical of spending huge amounts on free-standing wardrobes which I find incredibly dull pieces of furniture," says Jessica. "I’d advise buying an inexpensive one and then have a carpenter make you some doors with cut out panels to which you can add caning or ruched fabric."
A good chest of drawers can easily be picked up at auction, advises Joshua, “you can often find well-made, older furniture at fantastic prices if you are diligent in your search. Embracing a slightly aged, durable piece can be much more satisfying than buying something new”, he says.
The same applies to lighting. "Lighting can really eke into your budget," says Anna, "but you can source more inexpensive lighting without forgoing on the design. Cox and Cox London supply elegant and clean designs at competitive prices, as do Industville. We sourced brass wall lights from Cox and Cox for either side of a headboard and hard-wired them in; they look incredibly smart." If you have inherited a perfectly fine collection of lights from a previous owner, Anna's favourite budget-friendly “quick fix” is to swap out any cold white lightbulbs for a warm dimmable bulb (up to and no more than 2700 degrees kelvin) for a "more friendly light".
MAY WE SUGGEST: Our edit of where to buy bedding
Bathroom
Taps have a good claim to be the things you notice and touch most in a bathroom, so these are a good thing to spend some money on. "Always spend on good quality hardware that works," says Katie. "The cost of installation is the same either way but you don’t want to end up having to replace it all in a couple of years because you didn’t spend the money initially." "Taps are where you can elevate your space and it really makes a difference," says Anna. "Drummonds and The Water Monopoly both produce elegant designs in a variety of finishes. The Water Monopoly Aged Brass finish is a particular favourite for taps. It sits well with the odd antique piece and has a charming faded glamour feel to it." Jessica also chooses to spend money on taps (Lefroy Brooks is a favourite), lights (Vaughan make beautiful IP44-rated lights) and wallpaper. "These will bring you much more joy than the “label” on your loo," she says.
One issue with kitchens and bathrooms is that you usually can't take them with you when you move. If you don't plan on living in your house forever, Katie recommends investing in items that are moveable. "For instance, one client had a bespoke eglomise mirror made; instead of fixing it to the wall we framed and hung it."
What you put on the walls, whether tiles, panelling or just paint, can be an easy place to save. "If the budget is very tight then paint is your friend," says Jessica. "Use it to add an immediate dose of personality to a room which can otherwise be very clinical and not especially interesting." "I really like adding tongue & groove panelling to a bathroom to waist height," says Anna. "Not only does this add a good textural element to what can otherwise be quite hard surfaces, it’s an inexpensive solution to tiling."
If you do want to use an expensive material in the bathroom, limit the extent of it. Says Katie, "If a client wants marble walls in their bathroom, rather than covering all the walls in this rather expensive material, create one wall of marble and then on the opposite wall install a more economical mirror; its reflection instantly doubles the value of the marble."
Accessories can make a bathroom feel more comfortable and homely, but again, there's no need to splash out. Jessica recommends getting a "small vintage table from Ebay or your local antique shop and use it for displaying your prettiest and most spoiling lotions and potions." "I love to put a chair in a bathroom if there is space," adds Anna. "It can create more of an unstructured aesthetic, as does an antique rug, artwork and antique mirror. These elements can all be sourced in antique markets like Ardingly and Kempton."
Katie is also team antiques in the bathroom, and often uses an antique or vintage dresser as a vanity unit. In her bathroom at home, pictured above, a simple vanity picked up from Sunbury Antiques market has been modified with marble from Mander and Germain by her contractor D3Lux. It is a quick an budget-friendly way to elevate a piece.
Anna Haines: annahaines.co.uk | @annahainesdesign
Jessica Buckley: jessicabuckley.co.uk | @jessicabuckleyinteriors
K&H Design: kandhdesign.co.uk | @kandhdesignltd
Joshua Hale: joshuahale.co.uk
.png)
